Självskadebeteende ur ett etnicitetsperspektiv
en studie av professionella behandlares syn på självskadebeteendets orsaker och omfattning bland utlandsfödda respektive svenskfödda flickor
ModernitetSjälvskadebeteendeångestKulturella skillnaderSocial problems and welfareNational insuranceSociala problemSocial välfärdSocialförsäkringLaw and Political Science
The aim of this study was to examine why young females develop self-harm behaviour. We also wanted to look at the differences between young females born in foreign countries and young females born in Sweden and investigate if there were any differences regarding the reasons for developing self-harm behaviour and the actual extent of the self-harm behaviour within the group. We used a qualitative method and performed interviews with nine professionals that work with young females with self-harm behaviour. To be able to analyse our qualitative interviews we used concepts such as modernity, anomie, safety and cultural differences in the bringing up of children. The results of this study shows that self-harm behaviour is a symptom of excessive anxiety, which can be caused by a number of reasons, such as childhood trauma or great demands in modern society. We noticed that young females born in foreign countries developed a self-harm behaviour that was different from young females born in Sweden and that their self-harm behaviour could be a result of cultural clashes or to strong social control within the family. However, for young females born in foreign countries there might be a high number of unrecorded cases, according to the professionals.